


The Hands That Pulled Me From The Earth

by Hidfrey



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Canon - Book, Cozy, Denial of Feelings, F/M, Feelings Realization, Hurt/Comfort, On the Run, Slow Burn, Warm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-02 12:57:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19441909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hidfrey/pseuds/Hidfrey
Summary: Taking place where the books left off, Sansa is trapped in the stony cage that is life at the Eyrie, as Alayne Stone. Losing a bit of herself each day, Sansa's new life is rocked to the very core when her past is brought back to her full force in the form of a captured Sandor Clegane. Together the two will have to confront their pasts and figure out who it is they want to become, both on their own and with the help of each other.





	1. Capturing the Past

Sansa looked out of the window from her solar, cold air drifting in through the opening and dancing on her face before filling her room with a chill. She could smell it on the air, winter was coming, wasn’t that always what the Starks were meant to say? It seemed to her that winter wasn’t just coming but it was already here. She shuddered a bit, not just from the cold, but of the thought of what else winter would bring. Everyone in the Eyrie would have to move south for the winter, out of the impenetrable castle down the mountain to keep from being snowed in. It would be a true pain to get sweet Robin out of his nest, but also Sansa knew that it would mean she would also have to deal with the lords of the Vale and their ideas of marriage for her once they were all in one place together. It seemed to Sansa that she could never truly escape the confines of court life, no matter where she went. She started to understand how Arya must have felt. Sansa was tired of just being thought of as something that could be passed along or given away at will, she wished almost that she had been born a boy free to make her own decisions.

Her ruminations at the window were cut off when there was a gentle rapping at her door. “Come in.” She called out thinking it was one of the handmaidens with some tea, instead it was Mya Stone with a tray of tea and honey biscuits. Sansa stood up at once her skirts swirling about her, “Mya you’re back!” quickly she crossed the room and grasped Mya’s free hand. Mya Stone had been Sansa’s one saving grace in the cold isolation of the Eyrie, a girl who reminded her much of a grown up Arya, and who was trustworthy to a fault. Mya had given Sansa a bit of freedom in the Eyrie and when weighed down with so many of Aunt Lysa’s duties now Sansa needed a little fun every now and again. Mya would show her secret passages through the Eyrie and around the mountain, or sometimes would take Sansa to the stables to meet the brave little donkeys and mules that made the climb up and down the mountain. Another grace of Mya was that Sansa was able to share anything with her and know she would keep it secret, she even at times would swear on her little sure footed donkeys and that would be when Sansa would know she was serious about keeping a secret. Mya was already aware that she was Sansa and not Alayne, and she helped keep Sansa grounded a bit into who she was, so often she got caught up in the web of Alayne and Petyr Baelish that she would forget who she was, that she was a wolf not one of Baelish’s birds. But Mya would pull her back to herself and ask to hear another story about her family, and Sansa would tell tales old and new, about building snow forts with her brothers, or doing needlework with her mother, and share her emotions and regrets with Mya. It felt amazing to finally have someone to talk to without fear of repercussions, she always had to act that she was happy at the fall of her family in king’s landing, and in the Vale she had to act like the Starks were a family she never knew. When Mya was gone Sansa was utterly alone, and Mya had left for a little over a week making a supply run, so to have her back once again in her midst Sansa was overjoyed.

There was one thing though, one secret train of thought and memory that for some reason Sansa never shared, and that was all the moments she had been helped by the hound, Sandor Clegane. She held the memories tightly to her breast, for one reason or another she couldn’t be sure. She felt oddly like Mya would tease her about the hound, or more so that she rather keep those moments to herself secret. Like the kiss he stole from her on the Blackwater, she still blushed even at the thought of it, and at times in her musings at the Vale she would wonder whatever became of Sandor Clegane. She hoped he had lived after the Blackwater... he was a cruel hard man, but kind in his own way and to her it seemed he at least deserved some sort of peace.

Mya grinned at Sansa clasping her hand tightly, pulling Sansa out of her thoughts once again. “I thought I would surprise you, and I knew if I brought your tea and cakes I would get to have a share too.” Her blue eyes sparkled with a mischievous grin and Sansa couldn’t help but feel at ease in the lightheartedness of her. There was no secret evil intentions behind her, and that was so rare to find.

“You are always welcome to have tea with me Mya, come let’s sit and tell me all that’s happening outside of these cold stone walls.” Sansa said with a sweep of her arm towards the table by the window.

“Well maybe they wouldn’t be so cold if you closed the window.” Mya commented and stood up on a chair and closed up the window that was letting the breeze in before sitting down in the chair opposite Sansa and helping herself to a honey cake. “Sorry I know you like lemon but these were the only cakes that were still warm.” She said between mouthfuls of the crumbly cake.

“No honey cakes are fine, I’m actually not really in the mood for lemon cakes right now.” Mya put her hand to her heart in playful shock.

“Lady Alayne Stone of the Vale not wanting lemon cakes, what has gone on while I have been gone!” Sansa smiled as she nibbled on a honey cake, and then prodded at Mya to instead tell what she had been up to. Mya loved to listen but she could also talk your ear off as well. She began to talk about what food they had brought up to the Vale, how the paths were getting more treacherous as winter approached and she guessed soon they would have to start moving everyone down just like Sansa had thought earlier. The usual sort of thing, every now and again she would offhandedly say something about Lothor Brune, and Sansa would grin to herself knowingly about the affection between the two. What really caught her attention in Mya’s stories was what happened to her on her return trip to the Eyrie. “There was a whole commotion, I guess the Vale guards caught a pretty high bounty traitor to the crown and are bringing him up here, probably for the sky cells are my guess.” Sansa’s heart beat, traitor to the crown usually meant an ally or friend to the Starks, she hoped and prayed quickly to the gods old and new that it wasn’t Arya, or anyone else she knew. She wished for word of her sister's safety but she wouldn’t want it like this.

“Do you.. Do you by any chance know who it was that was caught.” Mya looked at her for a moment and noticed the nervousness about her.

“Don’t worry if it was a Stark we would have heard about it a long time ago, I mean it's a high bounty person, but not big enough news that everyone is talking about it yet, Lord Baelish probably doesn’t even know yet who it is.” Sansa let out her breath which she hadn’t even realized she had been holding in. Mya reached over and patted her hand reassuringly, “Don’t worry it’s likely no one you know Sansa.” Sansa nodded to herself, yes probably no one, she was just getting jumpy.

**************

Sansa went about her day doing her Alayne duties, which were mainly Lysa’s old duties that Petyr had passed onto her. She cared for sweet Robin, telling him tales and fetching food for him and scolding him when he was bad, and she walked the halls to make sure everything was running smoothly with the serving staff around the castle and that nothing was awry. Often she sat beside Petyr as he did his tasks, he liked to keep her near to make sure she was safe and also to let her learn what it was like to lead and the politics of the world. It was odd at times he would treat her like a daughter other times like she was his wife. At times it seemed that the line of Sansa and her Mother blurred for Petyr Baelish. But nonetheless that day there wasn’t much for Sansa to do, Robin fell asleep to a lullaby she sang on just the second try so she was free to wander about. Mya had something she had to take care of so Sansa was alone to walk the hallways.

She trailed her hands along the stone wall as she walked about the hallways in a slight daze wondering about her siblings as she often did, and then her mind drifting once again to the prisoner that was being brought up. Who could it be? She would hopefully catch whisper of it soon enough. She was pulled by her thoughts when a tall man gave a curt nod as he walked by and said, “Lady Alayne.” She turned and focused her eyes on him and for a moment she thought it was a familiar gruff form in the shadows, but as he neared and she became more aware of her surroundings she realized it was not who she had thought.

Reminding herself she was no longer at King’s Landing, Alayne greeted Ser Lothor Brune. “Hello Ser Lothor, how are you today?” He gave a simple curt reply saying he was well and was about to continue on his way when Sansa quickly turned to him. “Ser Lothor do you know who the prisoner is that was captured?” He looked down the hallway to see if anyone was listening and shook his head.

“I don’t know who exactly, it was a man, a big man, fought a bit but seems he was pretty wounded when they found him. He’s not a Stark I know that, as far as his house though I’m not really too sure.” That was the longest answer she had gotten from him in a while, she gave him a warm smile and a heartfelt thank you before continuing on her way down the hallway. Soon she would know and her curiosity would be satiated and she could go back to her normal ponderings, the same ones day after day. Thank the gods it was not a Stark.

***********

“Lady Alayne supper is prepared in the main hall” A chambermaid said pulling Alayne from her reading. She put the book down and gave it a little pat, it had been a book Tyrion recommended back when she was in King’s Landing and it had actually been quite good so far. The marriage hadn't been all bad, better than Joffrey, she could at least say that.

“I’m coming thank you.” She walked down the hallway to the main audience hall where a long wooden table had been laid out with the meal for the night. Petyr Baelish already sat at the head of the table, it seemed sweet Robin was eating in his room which was good, Petyr got ever annoyed with him and it made Sansa worry about his safety. It was actually just the two of them tonight, Alayne curtsied in the direction of Petyr and said, “Hello Lord father” He nodded at her and she sat down at a seat beside him and placed some of the honeyed chicken on the platter in front of her onto her plate and began to eat. She kept her eyes mainly focused on her food, her lids resting heavy on her eyes, but from the corners she could see Petyr watching her from time to time as she took a small sip or ate. He did that quite often especially when they ate dinner alone like this. “I did not see you much today, how was your day lord father.” She said confronting his gaze a bit with polite chatter.

“The same dealings with the angry fools that are the Vale men, arranging for our travel down the mountain, it’s going to happen sooner than I like, I prefer these impregnable walls to the halls of the greedy Vale lords. But we’ll take care of them Cat.” He picked up a fork full of his food and ate. That happened from time to time recently, him calling her Cat, but she learned to let it slide, it became a larger ordeal if she said anything about it. Silence now reigned over the audience hall as Alayne could not really come up with any more ideas for small talk at the moment. The silence was only made louder by the echoing of their silverware clinking as they continued to eat. They could hear a guard and his armor echoing down the hallway a good minute before he actually appeared.

Sansa looked curiously at the guard as he walked over to Littlefinger, gave a small salute and said, “My Lord I have news to report.” Baelish put down his silverware slightly annoyed and took a sip of his wine.

“Well what is?”

The guard gave a slightly nervous cough before saying, “My Lord we have captured the King’s previous guard, The Hound, Sandor Clegane within the Vale borders.” Sansa dropped her fork from her shaking hands and looked at Baelish afraid he would notice but he didn’t, a grin crept across his face.

“Wonderful, marvelous work, throw him in the sky cells but keep him alive for now.” The guard saluted and echoed his way out of the hallway. Sansa’s heart was in her ears, like war drums beating, she almost didn’t hear Baelish when he said, “Alayne this is perfect for us to stay safely in the Lannisters good graces after our not so gracious exit from King’s Landing. I will send them a raven at once.”

Sansa barely able to keep her voice from shaking said, “Yes lord father” and with that Petyr got up and left her alone in the main hall. Thankfully so, for without warning large warm tears welled up in Sansa’s eyes and fell to her plate before she even realized they were coming from her, and she placed her hand over her mouth to stop a small sob from escaping. A part of her old life was here in these walls, all the feelings that Sansa had held back from King’s Landing suddenly came back at that moment. She didn’t realize how much she had tried to just lie to herself, telling herself that everything that happened at King’s Landing was just an old mummer’s tale, to move forward as Alayne. But the memories were still there, a large gnarled wound that had not healed but had festered beneath the surface, and this was the stab that reminded her it was there.She remembered the Hounds face reflected with green flickering light as he said he would take her home. Home. One after the other Alayne was hit with feelings of her family and of the torture of King’s Landing, her regret at not leaving, and she sat at the dinner table as the candles dwindled and wept softly before finally excusing herself to her room. The only thought that pounded in her head then as she quickly walked the way back to her room was “Sandor Clegane is alive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! This honestly has been my first time writing a fanfic in a decade so I hope its okay! Tried to keep to book canon as much as possibly but sometimes things slip up a bit >..> the next 3 chapters should post pretty soon since I already have them written and the 4 after that are already preplanned so hopefully I can keep up to a good posting schedule! Thank you again for reading and let's ride this slowburn sansan train as far as it can take us :) (and I promise a reunion is in store next chap ;) )
> 
> Extra thank you to my friend Sam for helping me outline and plan this story as well as doing all the leg work to make sure I tried to stay book accurate with locations and details!


	2. A Meeting in the Sky Cells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A reunion is in store, but is it what Sansa really wanted?

She was at the window again that morning, she had been at it most of the night actually, unable to sleep, her mind wracked with things that she didn’t want to remember. The numbing cold helped, it had at least dried her tears before they fell. The sun rose over the Vale glinting on the mountain tops and as Sansa watched she couldn’t help but feel that even the sun was mocking her on that day. Something so warm and fair teasing her from just beyond the mountains, too far away was the Eyrie in it’s cold place to even feel the warmth. She didn’t even notice as the door to her room was opened until a voice said. “Your tea milady.”  
She didn’t turn but just motioned to her bedside table.“Over by my bed is fine thank you.” She croaked her voice hoarse.  
“And here I thought if I brought your tea again I would get as warm a welcome as I did yesterday.” She slowly turned at that to see Mya sitting on her bed next to the tray she had brought in, instantly Sansa felt guilty.  
“I’m so sorry Mya I didn’t realize it was you.” Sansa pulled her cloak about her and began to move over to Mya, but before she could even get close to her, Mya stood up and walked with long strides and met Sansa halfway to her bed.  
“What’s wrong? What happened to you? Your eyes are redder than holly, and your hands are shaking!” She pulled Sansa to the bed and placed the blanket over her cloak as well and poured out a cup of tea and handed it to her. Mya put a protective hand on Sansa’s back and rubbed it like a mother comforting a child. “Did Baelish try anything? If he did I’ll give him a good punch.” Sansa shook her head, “No.. he didn’t do anything.” She paused, she either would keep Mya in the dark about Sandor Clegane or tell her, and it seemed she must tell her lest she get the wrong idea. “It’s just that.. The prisoner the one brought in.. is Sandor Clegane.” Mya nodded obviously having heard who it was by now but still confused by why this would affect Sansa as such. She waited though, patiently, quietly, as Sansa took in a couple breaths to calm herself. “In King’s Landing he was one of the kingsguard, and often Joffrey… would have his kingsguard beat me,”  
Mya tensed “That bastard.” she muttered but Sansa stopped her,  
“But he was the only one who wouldn’t, he always helped me in his own way, though his words were cruel he never lied to me, he stopped them when Joff went too far, and … on the battle of Blackwater he came to my room with a dagger to my throat and made me sing for him.. And then stole a kiss, and before leaving, he said he would take me home, to Winterfell, that no one would hurt me he wouldn’t let them. But I said no and then things just got worse, and oh Mya I just don’t know what I feel, all the torture of King’s Landing just comes flooding back, and my regret at not going, and guilt and pity that he is in the sky cell’s most likely awaiting death and I just don’t know Mya.” With that Sansa broke into tears again and Mya hugged the crying girl.  
“Hm well maybe the best thing to do to set yourself right is to confront him.” Mya murmured with her chin resting on Sansa’s head. Sansa sat still for a moment before pulling back and looking up at Mya with her red rimmed eyes.  
“Confront him? But how can I do that he’s in the sky cells? Besides I can’t just go up to him and say look it’s me Sansa Stark!” Mya patted Sansa’s head.  
“Well we know all the ways through the Eyrie to the sky cells, all the secret ones at least, and Lothor was telling me how he’s on guard duty down there today, so we should be able to get in easily enough. As far as saying if you are Sansa or not, you don’t need to tell him that, it’s for your closure not him, maybe just getting a few words in or just seeing him will help you, some.” She thought a moment, her heartbeat picked up its pace a bit at the idea, she would see the hound again, it was a nerve wracking thought but it excited her a bit and lifted some of the heavy weight of sadness on her, some plan to focus on in the present than just memories of the past.  
“Let’s do it Mya, you always know what to do, and I’m grateful for it.” Sansa said and gave the girl a heartfelt hug.  
Mya laughed and hugged her back, “We Stones have to look out for one another.”

*************

Alayne finished getting ready, putting up her hair in a way that Sansa hadn’t done in King’s Landing, and on her high collared dress she pinned one of the little bird pins that Petyr had given to her. Alayne gently touched the pins in her braided bun in the back and peered into the mirror. She lost herself for a moment not really recognizing the dark haired girl in the mirror, with how her hair was you would almost think she was sisters with Mya. Think of the devil, Mya popped her head into the door, “Are you ready Alayne, oh you look lovely, come on let’s go.” And with that her head disappeared. One final calming breath and Alayne raised her chin and with a sure foot stepped out from the room following Mya as she wound through barely used hallways, looping back and forth through the Eyrie trying to stay undetected by any of the staff that was working, and of course to stay out of the prying eyes of Littlefinger.  
Soon they were before the entrance to the Sky Cells, since the hound was the only prisoner in there at the moment there was but one guard on duty, and today it was Lothor Brune. Mya popped out giving him a bit of a shock. “Mya you startled me what are you doing here?” He tried to scold her but his words were gentle as was his gaze on the girl.  
“I need a favor Lothor.” She motioned towards Alayne to come forward and a bit nervous like a child in trouble Alayne came forward.  
“Lady Alayne.” he said surprised, Mya smiled,  
“Yes Lothor, Alayne wishes to pop in and grab a glance of the prisoner.” He looked at her oddly, of course she thought, he would look at her like that because he knew that the hound had been at King’s Landing while she had been there. He seemed contemplative,  
“I’m not sure that would be a good idea.” He said it looking straight at Alayne and she felt like she was shrinking under the gaze, but she had to see him, something was tugging at her, he was just down that hallway she couldn’t lose this opportunity.  
“Please ser Lothor, just this once, I need to.” He must have seen the true pleading behind her eyes for he finally relented and stepped aside.  
“Fine Lady Alayne, but if anything happens please call for me.” He said with a relenting sigh.  
“Thank you so much ser Lothor I’m in your debt.” Alayne smiled an honest warm smile at the man, one that was not her usual faked court smile and Lothor’s stern face eased a bit.  
“Good luck Sansa.” Mya said as she gave Alayne a reassuring pat that was mingled with a bit of a shove forward so that she would start moving towards the cells. Mya hung back to chat with Lothor as Alayne went into the cells, the door giving a loud reverberating clang behind her. Trying not to make too much noise in the echoing cells she walked on near tiptoes, glancing at each cell as she made her way down the hallway, and shuddering at both the cold and the view of the drop from each cell. She almost walked past his cell at first until she caught the shadow of the man sitting against the wall right by the bars.  
“What the fuck do you want now.” He turned and paused a moment, obviously not expecting Alayne, let alone a woman in the sky cells. “Who the fuck are you.” She pulled herself up, to act like she belonged but she paused for a moment to look at him. The light of the half moon illuminated him, showing Sansa that his hair was longer than it had been in King’s Landing, and a rough beard had grown in on the side of his face where the scars had not crept. His eyes weren’t red rimmed and waterlogged as she had remembered him in his drunken and broken state during the battle. But his eyes were tired, that she could see, and his clothes were ripped and torn and bloody, and in Sansa’s heart she felt pity for Sandor Clegane.  
“My name is Alayne Stone, I am the daughter of Petyr Baelish. I help to run the day to day affairs of the Eyrie.” The more she said it the more she could almost believe it, and that lie gave her some strength.  
The hound scoffed, “Oh yes? A little Bastard of Littlefinger’s? Now what the fuck are you doing here, is poking at men about to die part of your day to day duties in the Eyrie?” His eyes looked at her, she felt that they saw right through her, he would never lie but here she was telling a bald faced lie to him. To shield herself though she told herself, the lies were to protect her, maybe even protect him too.  
“I..I had heard much of Sandor Clegane, and I was curious to see you for myself.” He didn’t leave a moment of empty air, he bit back,  
“Oh yes little bird? Just a caged exotic animal you’ve come to see? Well look at me are you happy, is this what you wanted to see.” He stood up at that and suddenly clenched the bars and grimaced at her, the scar side of his face showing closest to her, she stepped back more at the suddenness of his movement than the scars themselves. “Yes little bird shudder at the sight and fly away back to your nest, stop this incessant chirping and return to your lord father and leave me to die in peace if the only thing you have to offer is words.” He spat the words at her and turned to sit further from the metal bars.  
Tears pricked her eyes and she was at a loss for words, for whatever reason she curtsied slightly towards him and quickly went out of the cells, clutching her skirts in her hands and biting her lip. That's not how it was supposed to happen, she was going to be strong and assertive, she was going to be Alayne and by being Alayne she would have the strength to confront him and confront her past. It was supposed to make her feel better, to heal her somehow seeing him wasn’t it? Some part of her was disappointed too, she wanted him to be sweet to her even though she knew that wasn’t his nature, and why would he be if he didn’t even know it was Sansa? It didn’t help seeing him it just made things worse, he was so cruel, but a new fear grabbed her, pulling her from the emotions of his scathing remarks, he had called her little bird more than once. Did he actually know it was her? Was it because of the small bird pin she wore that he used the same moniker for her? Gods he would tell the Lannisters when he was given to them that she was here, she was done for. But would he? Sandor Clegane hated the Lannisters but after she had refused to go with him maybe he hated her as well. Her heart now beat rapidly not with the nervous excitement she had felt before entering, but now with the cold hard beating of fear. She imagined herself in the place of her father beheaded, or tortured and she quickened her pace. “Gods what have I done, I’m such an idiot.” She flew past Mya and Lothor and went straight to her room as quickly as she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I went through and edited the 2nd chapter already :) so here it is! We get to see a bit of Sandor, it was really a bummer to write their reunion as such a bad experience for the both of them. Hopefully things work out eventually for the two of them ;) Ch. 3 should come soon (who knows maybe even by tomorrow if I just spend my whole night editing the draft I already have)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I'm glad you liked ch 1 enough to keep reading and I hope I can keep writing chapters that everyone can enjoy in the future :)


	3. Repercussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa must deal with the repercussions of her less than ideal late night visit with Sandor Clegane and decide if she is strong enough to see him again.

The whole next day she couldn’t face Mya, Sansa was afraid to face anyone, guilt and fear sitting heavy in her stomach like a stone. She had put them all in danger if the Lannisters found out she was here, if the Hound told them, but a part of her also knew that Sandor would not do something petty like give her up to them. No she knew that he hated them nearly as much as she did.The guilt was still there though, for aggravating him when he was in such a bad situation, for lying to him when he had always been honest with her. But mainly she felt shame, for all the training and practicing, and grueling experiences, she still felt like she was some dumb pretty little girl at court, when she wanted so much to prove she had grown, that she had become stronger.

Sansa ate breakfast alone in her room and shirked many of her duties that day. Her mind wasn't in the right place, and she was too nervous, too busy pondering every little bit of her interaction from the night before. It seemed Petyr noticed very quickly her absence because just before the noon meal a servant arrived to her room. “Lord Baelish has requested your presence for the midday meal Lady Alayne.” A cold sweat seemed to grip her, she felt like a child caught after doing something she was not supposed to do.

“Can you let my lord father know that I am not feeling well and will be taking the meal in my room”

The servant had a bit of a grim look on their face, “I’m sorry my Lady, it doesn’t seem like there is much of a choice, your lord father said it was an order.” Sansa just nodded and the servant left her room.

She sat down heavily on her bed and took a large inhale of air to try and steady herself. Sometimes he was just demanding, it didn’t mean he knew anything about last night. Gods why did the smallest act by her seem to always snow ball out of control, all she wanted was control why did it keep evading her? Steadying herself one more time with another breath, Alayne sat up from the bed and fixed herself in the mirror, not a hair out of place, not a thing to complain about. “I have done nothing wrong, I am going to go eat with my lord father.” She said in the mirror to herself, the stranger staring back at her and echoing her own words.

When Alayne entered the dining hall she almost stuttered in her pace when she noticed once again the two of them were alone, but also because the two places set where exactly across from each other instead of her usual side seat next to Petyr at the head of the table. In this position she would be completely trapped under his gaze. When Petyr noticed her enter he smiled warmly, “Ah Alayne glad you are feeling well enough to eat, I was worried! Come sit down.” Without skipping a step and playing her role Alayne sat in the seat across from his, gently smoothing out her skirts around her as she sat to give herself an excuse to not look directly at him yet. She also was making a note in her mind that the servant that had come to her room couldn’t be trusted since they seemed to instantly report what she had said to Petyr.

Eventually she had to accept that she would have to look up from her skirts so she steeled herself and giving an ivory smile looked to Petyr Baelish. “Forgive me for missing breakfast today, I wasn’t feeling well this morning, thank you for worrying so much to check up on me.” She hoped the pleasantries were enough as she looked down at her place and began cutting into a small meat pie. Looking at her food she wondered if Sandor was even given any food in the sky cell.

She couldn’t even lift a single piece of her meal to her lips or continue her thought before Littlefinger said, “Glad you feel better, it does get chilly at night, going to bed late can lead to you getting ill Alayne.” Her fork froze in midair. Here was the game, she had to be ready to play at all times.

She brought her food to her mouth chewed, and swallowed before saying calmly as she worked on cutting another piece of pie, “You are right, I will make sure to turn in sooner tonight, I was too caught up in the book I was reading last night.” She smiled at him innocently and took another bite, and then a sip of her wine. She couldn't be sure he knew yet, she didn't want to give too much away.

His eyes were trained on her like a hawk as he smiled. “Ah a book? You’ll have to tell me what it is about, something exciting like a story about visiting a convicted traitor in his cells in the dead of night?” It was his turn now to sip. The game seemed to be over now, he went straight for the kill he knew it, now it was time to flex her own cunning honeyed words to reduce the penalty.

“Wouldn’t a book like that be interesting Lord Father? My curiosity would be peeked and I would not be able to stop myself from reading at least some of the book. But I can assure you it will never happen again, staying up late to read that is. I’ve learned my lesson and don’t want to upset you any, I have my duties to perform around the Eyrie after all and don’t have time for passing curiosities or fancies.” She said tilting her head to the side letting her hair fall away a bit and revealing a portion of her neck, which she hoped was distracting and a bit alluring. Trying to remember the ways in which Cersei had quietly moved with her body to calm men around her without them knowing. She added “Besides the book from last night doesn’t seem as exciting or interesting to me as I thought it would.” She said with a bit of a bored sigh and small smile at Littlefinger. When she looked at him she could see he hadn’t taken his eyes off her and that his eyes had been glued to the bare flesh of her neck trailing to her dresses neckline. She felt repulsed at what she had done, and repulsed at his stare, but this was a minor thing, like an actor in a mummer’s show she didn’t really mean it.

It seemed it had been enough, for a smile crawled along Petyr’s face, “I’m glad you realize your error Alayne, we really don’t have time to waste worrying about things from our past. You’re a very smart girl.” He sipped his wine taking his eyes off her for a moment and she took that moment to cover her mouth as if to dab away wine but instead she gave herself a quick moment to grimace at the emotions that seemed to radiate off Littlefinger. “Why don’t you spend the rest of the day with me Alayne? I could use your help with checking the supply lists and organizing the next few groups to go down the mountain.” This was her punishment it seemed, but it wasn’t as heavy as it could have been.

“Of course Lord Father I would love to.” Alayne said with a smile.

**********

The day had been a long one and she saw no friendly faces around her, only the face of Littlefinger as she went through the minutiae of planning every bit of the move down the mountain. He didn’t want anything going wrong, it seemed he worried that when they traveled down the Vale lords would try something to kick him from the Vale. But to Petyr Sandor was his trump card, if he was in the Lannister’s good graces then they could support his claim as guardian to sweet Robin. His paranoia seemed to be corroding him, a man who Sansa had once thought gleaned with such cunning, now just rotted and caused her nothing but anxiety and grief whenever they interacted.

Though the day had been so draining emotionally and physically, Alayne felt the pull of the Sky Cells, knowing he was there, craving to right at least one wrong, to be able to do something today. So she dressed again, but this time she was not going to don her feathers, she couldn’t hold her own as Alayne to him, maybe Sansa could. Besides she had decided that she would come clean to him, or at least ask him whether he knew who she was or not. With that idea in mind Sansa just draped a cloak over her night dress, leaving her hair in it's large nightly braid, and decided to stay wearing her fabric slippers in the hopes that they would be silent on the cobblestones, she would need to be extra careful on this night, she was going alone to the sky cells. She didn’t tell Mya that she was descending back to those cells again, she didn’t need to pull her into the trouble that she had already fallen into herself with Petyr. The more distance Sansa and Mya could have from each other for the immediate future the less likely Littlefinger would be able to connect Mya and Lothor to Sansa’s own activites. Besides with Mya who knows what Littlefinger could do to her, much worse than he would dare try with Alayne since Mya was as Petyr said once before, “Just a bastard girl of the mountains." She wanted to make sure her friend was safe, free to have fun, free to be with her donkeys and to laugh and talk with Lothor.

The moonlight shone in the empty hallways as Sansa glided almost silently on the cold stone floor except for the soft rustling of her cloak and nightgown. Wearing her slippers was a smart idea but a bit of a cold one, but whatever kept prying ears from hearing her was good enough for her. She was thankful that bit by bit some of the guards had already started preparing to move down the mountain, knowing from the lists she had helped pour over with Petyr today who had already left and how many remained, the hallways now practically empty, unguarded except by the knowing glow of the moon. It was beautiful that night, completely full, thankfully so since it bounced off everything in the Eyrie and gave Sansa just enough light to get by without the worry of lighting a torch. With a torch if they didn’t see the bright fire they would smell her down the hallway, the wood smoke traveling with ease on the mountain breeze. Sansa was extra cautious because somehow Petyr had found out she had been their the night before, and since it could not have been Lothor or Mya who told, someone else might have spotted her previously.

Luckily though without a hitch Sansa made it to the hallway that held the door into the sky cell. She peeked around the corner holding her breath, and let it out again in relief seeing that no guard was at the door. Petyr must have trusted she wouldn't go back tonight, trusted in his thinly veiled threats, plus there was barely any fear of a prisoner escaping the sky cells except going that way… well she didn’t want to think of it. She pulled up the lever that was locking the door in place from the outside and gently pulled the door open, with only the slightest of creaks, but you had to be careful everything echoed in the Eyrie, and everything echoed back to Petyr Baelish. She thought that she was stepping as silently as a mouse but before she even made it to his cell a voice called to her, a bit more than a gruff whisper in the dark, “Is that a bird I hear rustling down the hallway.”

She had paused but now she continued on until she stood at his cell. He was at the door again, sitting up against it, the moonlight almost blinding, perfectly framed by the outside opening of his cell. She looked at Sandor Clegane and her heart tightened, he didn’t look as cruel as she thought he had the night before, he just looked tired, like a man given up to his fate. “Well, here to poke at me some more, miss lady of the Vale.”

She put her hands on the bars and looked down at him, straight into his eyes, locking him into her gaze, her hands only shook ever so slightly on the bars, if he commented she would just say it was the cold getting to her. “Do you know who I am.” She said in barely above a whisper, he gave a gruff laugh and shook his head looking away.

“I know it’s you little bird, You think by just putting some dirt in your hair I wouldn’t recognize you, but I’m not an idiot like some of these Vale men, even drunk and on my deathbed I would easily be able to tell that it's you. Sansa Stark.” She shook in place, and couldn’t help that tears were moistening her eyes a bit, why now that the hound was here did she cry so often? But she couldn’t say she was wholly sad, hearing her name said above a whisper, having someone recognize her behind her thin mask made her feel so happy.“You made a nice nest for yourself here, glad you didn’t leave at Blackwater I bet?” the hound said with a slight joking sneer and Sansa wiped her eyes quickly with some fabric from her cloak.

“It’s only slightly better than King’s Landing, but the game is the same wherever you go.” She said not taking offense to the sneer, she knew his game this was how he talked, she wouldn’t let it hurt her like last night, she just had been out of practice the night before. It made her giddy to talk with someone that knew her before other than Petyr and talking to the hound in general usually gave her a little rise of excitement. He scoffed and lifted himself up so as not to be under her gaze, instead above her once again like he had been that night.

He looked at her and placed a hand on one of the bars. “With how you are talking little bird it sounds like Baelish has groomed you well to be his little mockingbird daughter.”

Sansa didn’t leave any empty air after his remark. “You're wrong.” He looked at her a bit quizzically and she was surprised he gave her time to respond. “ I am not groomed to be his daughter, this.. Just like with Joff I have to say the right things, I’m not doing this because I want to, when I talk like that, about games and whatnot, I’m not me.. I’m Alayne, and I don’t want to be Alayne forever.” She looked down and clutched a bit at one of the bars, she felt vulnerable under his gaze, she couldn’t lie to him, it didn’t feel right, he wasn’t a person that would let you easily lie to him and she knew it. She didn’t want the silence to continue so she filled it with the first thing to come into her mind, something that had been in her mind since the hound had arrived here. “I wanted to thank you again for all you did for me in King’s Landing, and for coming to me and offering to take me home to Winterfell. It really was noble of you.”

He moved away from the bars and with a bit of a gruff hitch in his voice he said, “ " really was noble of you" hah, the gilded court gratitude return. Alayne, Sansa, little bird, mockingbird, I don’t give a rat’s ass about true self and your wall of pretty words you weave to protect yourself, I don’t want your false gratitude as you try to work me raw for any little bit of peace of mind you can get, in the end of the day you are better off than where you started in King’s Landing, and I’m in this god's awful fucking cell left to rot.” She saw him clench his fist, and he continued angry, his voice rising and scaring her, what if they heard it in the Eyrie? “ If all you have to offer me are your goddamn pretty thanks and titterings than just leave me, before you send me out of this cell to an early grave.” She bit her lip and turned as fast as she could, her cloak wrapping around her as she went and fluttering behind her in the wake of her breeze, before she got to the heavy door she heard one final goodbye from the hound, “Fly away little bird there’s nothing for you here.” Again she was leaving Sandor Clegane, again she had done nothing but make things worse for him. Again she ran away with misunderstands being left behind. What could she do? 

***********

Sandor stared down the hallway where Sansa had vanished, with the quiet creak of the door. It brought a sort of sad smile to his face, even when she was flustered and was rushing from a room she closed the door quietly behind her. He sat back down against the wall sliding himself as close to the metal bars and linking an arm through them for reassurance he wouldn't fall out of the cell, not that it was much. He leaned his head against the cold stone walls and quietly swore. "You big fucking idiot, those were your gods damned last words to her." After how he had treated her she wouldn't come back again to these cells, not before he was drawn and quartered or whatever the Lannisters would have done with him. It was what he wanted to drive her away, it was safer for her that way, what would that prick Littlefinger do if he caught her down here at night? Even though it's the result he wanted why did it leave him feeling worse than the idea of his own impending death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the sweet comments, the kudos and bookmarks on Ao3 and the likes and reblogs of my initial fic posting on tumblr it honestly means so much to me and has motivated me to write a lot more often! The Sansan community really is so sweet :) 
> 
> Things seem be getting slightly better with Sansa and Sandor in this chapter, two steps forward one step back that kind of thing ~ The next chapter should be coming soon :) Can't wait till we eventually can get to a point where interactions aren't relegated to just a few paragraphs at the end of the chapters ;)
> 
> Also for some reason the end notes from my first chapter keep attaching themselves every chapter I post! So if anyone knows how to fix that I would really appreciate the help, thank you again :)


	4. The Winds That Howl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been days now since Sansa has returned to the cells, can she get the courage to go back down and if she does what will she find there?

Days had passed in the Eyrie, each one blurring into the other. Alayne went through her tasks, played with Robin, avoided Petyr when possible but played the good daughter when she was with him, and tried to be as unfeeling as stone. If even the smallest thought of the hound entered her mind it would send her spiraling into dark feelings of shame and regret all over again. To imagine his anger at her, but also to imagine him trapped in his cell while she was up here living in luxury. It was too much for her, she was just running from the situation trying to ignore it now, lying to herself saying that she was busy trying to prepare to move down the mountain, imagining the sky cell was empty.

On the fifth day since she had last been in the cells, Alayne was in Littelfinger’s personal library. She sat beside Petyr at his desk as he flipped through correspondences with the Vale lords, giving a little huff or grumble here or there as he went. Alayne was penning his responses for him, one of the few duties she looked forward to because it allowed a peak into almost all his dealings with the lords, at least the ones he thought were alright for her to see. Sometimes she thought it was a bit cruel though when he would have her pen notes pretending to be him, when the letters concerned her. 

One such letter was from Harry Hardyng, who she had met before when he insulted her, and then once he found out she was clever then he began to be interested in her. It was a part of Petyr’s plan to put Alayne into Hardyng’s hands to secure control of the Vale for himself. It was not a plan she was a fan of, since twice now her betrothals had not ended well, and she would prefer to finally have some choice in who she married. Sadly it seemed like Petyr’s plan at betrothal was working well since Harry was writing to say that he would gladly come up for a moving down the mountain party that Petyr was holding the night before they descended. Harry was writing to say specifically that though he was coming to the party that he would also mainly come to help escort, “the fine Lady Alayne down the mountain to her winter residences.” Alayne sighed as she penned Littlefinger’s response that, “that would be a grand idea, I’m sure the Lady Alayne will greatly appreciate it.” The betrothal was decided, once again she couldn’t fight it and was just forced to accept her fate.

The quiet scratch of quills on paper was interrupted when the falcon master came into the library holding a raven on his arm and a letter in his hand. “Lord Baelish, a letter from King’s Landing.” he said as he passed the paper with the royal crest to Petyr. Alayne’s eyes trailed on the letter trying to gleam anything through the rolled up parchment and lion's crest. The Hound’s fate was sealed up in that letter.

“This is wonderful news, absolutely wonderful, you can leave and return within the hour for a letter to send back.” Petyr said as he scanned the letter and motioned to the man.The falcon master bowed and left the room as Petyr turned to Alayne. “The Lannister’s are extremely interested in the retrieval of their hound, so much so that they said they will send a small troop over to pick him up from us once we reach the bottom of the mountain. In exchange they said we would receive gold, which I will generously decline in exchange for the good favor of the Lannisters of course.” He said with a smile and a single laugh, he stroked his beard thoughtfully a happy gleam in his eyes of a plan reaching fruition.

“What will happen to him once they get him?” Alayne couldn’t help but ask, her hand clenching tightly to the quill, ink seeping into her fingertips.

“My sweet Alayne, you should know what happens to traitors at the court already.” The quill cracked in her hand

***************

The winds howled louder than a pack of wolves that night bringing the winter cold with it. She couldn’t tell if the sound of the wind along with the cold that bit through all of Sansa’s blankets kept her awake, or if her thoughts about “a traitor's fate at court” kept her eyes open and her mind racing.This was a cold worse than that she had ever experienced in the North, the cold of this mountaintop was completely different from her home. The thought of Sandor in his open cell blew into her mind with each gust, could anyone even survive being out in this? Here in her fully closed room with a fire she was still freezing, it made her feel guilty and worried all at once. She had been a coward the last few days not returning to his cell, feeling she had failed both times and had been worthless. As the days went on though she realized there were at least some things she could do, sneak him food, or on a day like this something warm to wear since what he had worn had been in tatters… That was it. Tonight she would go down to the sky cells and bring him a cloak so he wouldn’t freeze in the night. The howling winds would also hopefully mask the sound of any conversation that they may have.

*************

“What the fuck are you doing here little bird, I didn’t think I’d see you again.” Sandor said. Though he tried to sound like his usually tough self she could see he was in a really bad way. He was huddled in the corner of the wall by the bars, shaking hard, his hair tattered and the rags of his clothing blanketed in a flurry of ever changing snowflakes as gust after gust brought new ones into his cell. He had to fight to keep his teeth from clattering when he spoke, but when no words came out his teeth clattered loudly. His eyes were completely black underneath, he looked like a man who had never slept, and it was true he probably hadn’t. No matter what she wouldn’t let him chase her away this time, she could feel it in her gut that if he chased her away tonight, if she didn’t help him, he would be dead the next morning. Was she really helping to just extend his suffering until the Lannisters came? She pushed the thought away from her mind, it wouldn’t cloud her judgement, she would help him, as he helped her in King’s Landing, and as she failed to help her father.

“I’m here to return a favor, a cloak for a cloak.” She said with a small smile, trying to not let the hound know how much she pitied his situation and feared his anger, he would turn away any help for sure then if he could tell. To her surprise though he laughed, a bit broken by a cough but a laugh nonetheless as he looked at her clutching one of her fur cloaks.

“That’s kind of you little bird, but what are the guards going to say in the morning when they see me huddled up with the good lady Alayne’s cloak hmm?” She paused a moment before pushing the cloak through the bars to him deciding it was too cold to wait for him to accept it on his own.

“I’ll take it back with me, I’ll stay with you a bit so you can warm up and rest and then I’ll take the cloak.” One of his rough calloused hands grazed over hers as he took the fur from her hands and wrapped it around himself. The touch made Alayne shudder more than the cold and made her realize she wasn’t used to the close proximity of him anymore.

“You aren’t going to stay here go back to your own room and I’ll go to sleep just fine. I’ll just toss the cloak out that big hole in the wall over there before the guards come.” He was stubborn, she knew from his eyes though that he wasn't going to sleep, that his fear was too great to close his eyes, cloak or not, even if he wouldn’t admit it. 

“Sandor I’m staying, one because I like that cloak and don’t want it to just be tossed out, but also because you look as tired as if you haven’t slept in months.” She said trying to sound matter of fact, as if she had any authority. She wanted to try to remember how her mother had sounded when she would scold the boys for playing in the snow without their own winter cloaks. Her mother’s voice had been one you couldn’t defy, but it was still loving, that’s what she wanted to recreate.   


He gave a cruel laugh that didn’t really carry the harshness he seemed to have intended as it was tired and gave way as he looked out the opening in his cell, “You wouldn’t sleep either if you felt like any moment you would roll out that gods damned hole.” Sansa flared out her skirts around her and lowered herself to the ground with the slightest of shudders as the cold from the stones seeped up into her. “I thought I told you to go.” He said a bit incredulous as he turned to look back at her and saw her sitting on the floor.

“I said I was going to stay and there's nothing you can do about it from your position. Go to sleep Sandor, I’ll wake you up if you seem even remotely close to falling out of the cell.” Sansa said with a small smile of victory. It seemed silly to her that she had been so scared the last two visits, scared enough that she had run from him. But here she was now telling him what to do and calling him by his first name. The howling wind was guarding their conversations from prying ears which gave her security, and Sandor’s weakened state made Sansa strong, in that she felt she needed to be strong to help him. In her mind she thought not only of the cloak but all the times Sandor had been strong for her and had protected her, she wanted to be able to do the same for him. 

“I was afraid you’d lost all your strength from King’s Landing and had turned back into a porcelain doll again. Glad ye proved me wrong.” He said with what seemed like a smile dancing slightly at the corner of his lips as he slid down the wall to lean up against the bars near Sansa. He seemed to be laughing so much more, even if at times it was bitter, even though he was in such an unforgiving situation. She wondered what had happened since the Blackwater to change him like this. But she didn’t want to bother him with questions, she wanted to let the tired man finally get some sleep.

“I like to think I’ve grown stronger since then.” She said a bit humbly, afraid to be told otherwise. At this point now the Hound’s eyes were closed as he leaned against the bars, he was less than a few inches from her. 

“Aye you definitely have little bird.” He murmured tiredly before the only sound was the howling wind and eventually the even in and out breathing of a sleeping hound. His exhaustion must have been so great that he instantly fell asleep. He looked so peaceful when he slept, the angry lines that usually pulled at his face smoothed out. He had one of his arms through the bar as she had seen him do before to try and keep himself from rolling out of the cell into the abyss below.

“Thank you for everything Sandor.” She murmured look at his resting face. She knew he couldn’t hear her in his deep slumber, and it was probably better since her thanking him upset him before. But she felt like she couldn’t contain her gratitude, she knew how short peoples lives were now and whenever someone helped her she wanted from then on to let them know how important they were to her. She looked up to the face of Sandor, so near to her, half covered in red angry scars, the other half road worn and tired and thought how funny her life had turned out that this man before her she would consider one of the most important people in her life now. When she tried to think of those who remained there were very who she could even pull up anymore, her whole family was either dead or missing, there was no one in King’s Landing who she would ever desire to see again, the only ones who cared for her here were Mya and Lothor. That was it really she had 3 people that she was sure of being alive now that she cared for, and those three people were the most important people to her. She would do whatever it took to keep them safe, that was the difference she saw now from past Sansa. She would protect them and not just be the one protected. They were her pack. “And the pack survives.” She murmured placing a hand gently onto Sandor’s arm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone and thank you for continuing to read! It really has been giving me a lot of joy to see how many people have been reading my little fanfic uwu I'm excited because the chapter after this is where a lot of plot points are going to start appearing and it's hopefully going to get pretty exciting! A few things were dropped in of course in this chapter that will be important for the future so keep an eye out ;) I'm also considering trying to write more from Sandor's POV just always makes me a bit nervous because I kind of also like the mystery of not knowing what he's thinking! Let me know if you guys have a preference for having more Sandor POV's or not :)
> 
> And just finally thank you again for reading! ^^
> 
> (Also for some reason the end notes from my first chapter keep attaching themselves to every new chapter I post! So if anyone knows how to fix that I would really appreciate the help, thank you again :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! This honestly has been my first time writing a fanfic in a decade so I hope its okay! Tried to keep to book canon as much as possibly but sometimes things slip up a bit >..> the next 3 chapters should post pretty soon since I already have them written and the 4 after that are already preplanned so hopefully I can keep up to a good posting schedule! Thank you again for reading and let's ride this slowburn sansan train as far as it can take us :) (and I promise a reunion is in store next chap ;) ) 
> 
> Extra thank you to my friend Sam for helping me outline and plan this story as well as doing all the leg work to make sure I tried to stay book accurate with locations and details!


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